I received some news the other day that drove me to prayer. Prayer hasn't always been my friend. I found myself in the struggle of maintaining a focus. Mind-wandering was a battle I had while attempting to pray. Prayer became boring. I was heart troubled when others would speak of a dynamic prayer time.
There were times in the past I had an enjoyable time alone with God in prayer ... but far less often than I wished. Then a change happened. I felt driven to prayer as never before. I took a pen to log some prayer needs hoping to see an answer to my cries to God. This was not an occasional occurrence but a daily one! In fact, the Lord brought to mind as I prayed (not in a mind-wander but a fully focused mind) the Scripture by Paul (1 Thess 5:17) "never stop praying" NLT. (I learned it in the old English KJV, "pray without ceasing'). That became an excitement to me as never before. No more boring prayer times. Prayer was now NECESSARY! I couldn't go a day without seeking my God. And He began to answer me. At times even while I prayed!
I cannot express to you how absolutely exciting and life changing this has been for me. So now I am life-praying. It is like breathing. I can't live without it. As go through daily life, my mind is in prayer mode (1 Thess 5:17). When I work, drive, relax -- it's life-prayer!
So when the news came that was deeply disturbing, I prayed. And then in my praying God again answers me. The words of clarity started flowing. First, the Lord brought to mind, I had been praying for this situation -- not the disturbing result, but the one to whom it involved. So, this was an answer to my praying but clearly it needed more prayer as well. To the throne I went! And while the situation was still being discussed in front of me - and me in my chair in prayer to my King ... the Almighty put a CLEAR answer in my mind => JOSEPH.
Joseph? That's right ... Joseph. The one in the Old Testament who's brothers threw him in a pit to die because of jealousy. The answer from God was not about Joseph, but what he said. That was all I could remember. What He Said! God's Spirit brought to mind Joseph's words as I prayed. I sort of remembered where the Scripture was found. I knew it was Genesis 50 but I was wrong in my remembrance of the exact verse. So I read it (this is where I then saw it was about Joseph) and behold - I found the verse. Genesis 50:20. My mind remembered "You meant it for evil ... but God meant it for good"!
This was God's words to me about the disturbing news. He then reminded me that in the evil situation God was going to work good. My NLT says it this way, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."
Can you see how exciting this is? The incident that occurred in Joseph's life and the result of what God did, caused those words to be written into Scripture. That was in the BC years that that happened, folks. And here I am so many years later praying about a situation and the words about the incident in Gen 50:20 God puts in my mind as an answer. Do you get it? In some small, mysterious way God used a harmful intention which resulted in God's good intention to affect ME! Not that small at all. It's actually very Big! And Awesome! And Stirring! It's Life-Praying.
I'm committed to it. My wife is committed to it. We prayed together this morning. And God's answers are flowing. People, this is no coincidence ... this is Life-Praying!
Okay, I'm going to leave you now. Life-prayer ... here I come!
No comments:
Post a Comment